By Tim Saunders on
Actress Kate Winslet has established a charity for those affected by autism.
The Oscar-winning star founded the Golden Hat Foundation – named after a poem by Keli Thorsteinsson – following her work on the documentary A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back To Autism.
“After watching the film A Mother’s Courage with my daughter one day, she turned to me and asked, ‘What if I wasn’t able to talk to you mummy?’,” says Winslet. “As I thought about what that meant, for a mother not to be able to talk with her own child, I realized that I had to lend my voice to raise awareness of this rapidly increasing disorder.”
Winslet narrated the documentary, which features the struggle of a mother to communicate with her non-verbal 10-year-old son. She hopes the new foundation – which has partnered with Richard Branson's Virgin Unite – will help eliminate the barriers for those with autism, and assist in establishing the opportunity to communicate effectively, receive an education and receive support.
“It makes me incredibly proud to work on this effort to bring awareness to the plight of people with autism,” says Kate. "I believe that all people with autism should be given the opportunity to learn to communicate, receive a suitable academic education and experience social relationships.
“Only then can they truly live a meaningful life.”
To find out more, visit the Golden Hat Foundation website.
Copyright © 2010 Look to the Stars
